Packing cushion



K R A L C P R PACKING CUSHION Filed March 7, 1933 INVENTOR Ffzfymond F.Clark ATTRNEY Patented May 1, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a packing cushion top of the fruit between theupper layer and the cover and held against the fruit under pressure, andthere is a serious objection to any cushion which damages the top layerof fruit, more particularly since this is the exposed layer when thesuch as used in the packing of apples and other fruit for holding thefruit against movement in the container, while also applicable to thepack- 5 ing of furniture or other merchandise where it is desirable toprotect a surface during shipment or handling and prevent it frombecoming marred.

One object of the invention is to afford a packing cushion that will notinjure or scratch the surface of the fruit or other article which it isdesigned to hold and protect.

Another purpose of the invention is to afford a packing cushion that canbe manufactured at a minimum cost and which will not absorb moisture asreadily or to the same extent as cushions of the conventional types.

An additional purpose of the invention is to provide a packing cushionthat includes a filler of maximum volume and resiliency and which has agreater capacity for filling a given space and holding packed fruitagainst movement in baskets or'barrels than cushions heretofore employedfor this purpose.

To these ends, the invention consists in the construction shown in theaccompanying drawing, and which will be described hereinafter, the novelfeatures being pointed out in the claims following the specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a packing cushion made in accordance with theinvention, and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, in which like referencecharacters refer to the same parts throughout the views, the structurein one embodiment comprises an envelope preferably of paper made in twoparts including a main body portion 1, the ends of which are suitablylapped or folded over the filler, and a cover or top portion 2 that ispasted or otherwise secured to the overlapped ends of the bodyportion 1. The construction of the envelope is shown in Patent No.1,251,964, and the present invention has to do with the character of thefilling material inside the envelope and the way in which it cooperatestherewith.

Heretofore such cushions have been made generally by utilizing woodexcelsior or similar material as a filler. This has a number ofobjections, foremost among which is its tendency to scratch or mark thesurface of a thin skinned piece of fruit against which it is contacting,or a highly finished surface of furniture.

These cushions are used largely in the packing of apples and otherfruit, being positioned on basket or container is opened, and any suchdamage to the fruit neces able loss to the packer.

sarily results in consider- Another objection to the use of woodexcelsior lies in its readiness to absorb moisture from fruit so thatwhen a package is left in storage, the cushion becomes damp and causes acertain amount of decay of the fruit.

In the present invention, the filler 3 consists of loose paperparticles,

preferably in the form of elongated narrow strips of shredded newspapersor other similar paper stock that is sufiiciently thin, light weight,and purpose. able resiliency which otherwise suitable for the Such apaper filler possesses considerdoes not decrease as the paper dries andages, whereas where cushions are made with a wood excelsior filler, theresiliency of the cushion lessens as the wood excelsior dries, and thusits efliciency as a packing medium is reduced.

of the paper particles to break through the envelope or to scratch orotherwise injure the articles with which they come in contact, and itpossesses little tendency to absorb moisture from fruit.

The invention is illustrated in connection with a circular cushion suchas used for the packaging of apples in baskets or barrels, but may beapplied to cushions of square or other conformation,

or to other shapes whe re used for packaging furniture and otherarticles, and it is intended that this application cover anymodifications or departures coming within the intent of the improvementor the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

A packing cushion comprising an envelope of readily yieldable paperwhich entirely surrounds and completely encloses a filler, said fillerconsisting of elongated narrow strips of shredded newspapers occupyingthe interior of the envelope and contacting at all portions of the innersurface of the latter.

RAYMOND P. CLARK.

